This book discusses the question of soft power and public diplomacy challenges in East Asian context. Both concepts originate in the West, and in a sense this book can therefore be seen as an exercise in critically assessing soft power and public diplomacy in a different geographical and cultural setting.

"In the era of Asia s rise, this timely collection inquires into the various connections between soft power and public diplomacy. It offers a treasure trove of rich empirical data and incisive analysis that is indispensible for a full understanding of this vitally important subject." - Peter J. Katzenstein, Walter S. Carpenter, Jr. Professor of International Studies, Cornell University

"When Hu Jintao exhorted China to increase its soft power, he triggered wide interest at home and among China's neighbors. This book is a welcome exploration of what it takes to develop soft power in East Asia. The authors make important conceptual and empirical advances. Chinese and other leaders should read it!" - Joseph S. Nye, Jr., University Distinguished Service Professor, Harvard, and author of The Future of Power

Autorentext
Jan Melissen is the Director of Research at the Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael and a Professor of Diplomacy in the Department of Political Sciences at Antwerp University.

Inhalt
The Theory and Reality of Soft Power: Practical Approaches in East Asia; S.Lee Soft Power as Productive Power; Y.Lee Measuring Soft Power in East Asia: An Overview of Soft Power in East Asia on Affective and Normative Dimensions; B.Jhee & N.Lee Modern Japan and the Quest for Attractive Power; A.Fukushima Soft Power and Public Diplomacy: The Case of Indonesia; R.Sukma Taiwan's Soft Power and the Future of Cross-Strait Relations: Can the Tail Wag the Dog?; Y.Chu South Korean Soft Power and How South Korea Views the Soft Power of Others; S.J.Lee The Limits of China's Soft Power in Europe: Beijing's Public Diplomacy Puzzle; I.D'Hooghe Asian Perceptions of American Soft Power; M.M.Bouton & G.Holyk The Complexities of Economic Soft Power: The USChina Case; B.I.Page & T.Xie Concluding Reflections on Soft Power and Public Diplomacy in East Asia; J.Melissen